The auspicious festival of Karwa Chauth is being celebrated with immense enthusiasm across Delhi and various cities within the National Capital Region. On this sacred occasion, married women have observed a strict waterless fast wishing for the long life, good health and prosperous marital life of their husbands. After spending the day performing rituals and listening to traditional tales, everyone's gaze is now fixed on the sky as they eagerly await the sighting of the moon to offer their oblations.
Moonrise timings across Delhi and NCR cities
According to astronomical calculations, the estimated time for moonrise in New Delhi is around 8:17 PM. However, local conditions such as weather patterns, cloud cover and atmospheric pollution might cause a slight delay in the actual sighting of the moon. Alongside Delhi, tremendous curiosity surrounds the moonrise schedule in Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bulandshahr, Sonipat and Palwal. Experts note that due to dark clouds or haze, the moon sighting could be delayed by 10 to 15 minutes past the expected hour.
Moon sighting schedules in other major regions
Beyond the national capital region, moonrise timings vary across different major cities nationwide. The moon is expected to appear at 8:06 PM in Lucknow, 8:28 PM in Jaipur, and roughly three minutes later in Bhopal. Women in Patna, Chandigarh, Mumbai and various other parts of the country are similarly awaiting local moonrise times to complete their traditional rituals and break their day-long fast.
What to do if the moon is hidden behind clouds
If overcast skies or adverse weather prevent women from spotting the moon directly in their area, there is no need to panic. According to traditional guidelines, if the moon remains invisible due to weather obstructions, women can follow the scheduled time for their region or mentally invoke the moon deity, completing the customary worship to conclude their fast safely and respectfully.
